In 2016, fresh out of university, I took on an incredible challenge as the project lead and art director for a major marketing photography project for DriveNow, BMW’s car-sharing service. The project spanned multiple European cities, including Milan, Dusseldorf, London, Copenhagen, Berlin, Stockholm, and Helsinki, where we shot hundreds of photos over the course of a whole summer.

My role involved ensuring that the photos not only aligned to DriveNow’s visual style but also clearly communicated the car-sharing service to different audiences. Another key challenge was to create visuals that were versatile enough for a variety of marketing formats, including social media, web, and print.

Each city had its own unique atmosphere, and my task was to ensure the images reflected those distinct vibes while maintaining a cohesive brand identity. Balancing creativity with the need for consistency across different locations was a major aspect of the project. It required careful planning and coordination with photographers and local teams to deliver results that fit DriveNow’s marketing goals.

As an absolute newcomer to the industry, this project was both a huge responsibility and an intense learning experience! Leading such a large-scale project as a greenhorn came with its fair share of challenges, but I was able to push through, growing professionally and personally in the process. This experience taught me invaluable lessons about art direction, project management, and the importance of adaptability in high-pressure situations.